UChicago vs. Cornell

Should I go to University of Chicago or Cornell University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UChicago or Cornell is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of Chicago vs. Cornell University comparison
University of Chicago Cornell University College 3 College 4
University of Chicago Cornell University
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Overview

UChicago Cornell
Location Chicago, IL Ithaca, NY
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 18,339 25,898
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #7 #19
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uchicago.edu cornell.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UChicago Cornell
Tuition (In State) $61,179 $62,456
Tuition (Out of State) $61,179 $62,456
Room & Board $18,396 $16,988
Avg Net Price $36,991 $26,060
Avg Grant Aid $48,422 $54,219
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 51%

Admission

UChicago Cornell
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 37,522 69,195
Admitted 2,039 5,168
Acceptance Rate 5.4% 7.5%
Enrolled % 84.8% 67.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.95 3.9
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 33/35
SAT Range 1500/1580 1470/1570
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 2, 2025

Academics

UChicago Cornell
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (38%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Physical Sciences (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)

Outcomes

UChicago Cornell
Graduation Rate 92% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $98,500 $98,400
Making Student Loan Payments 86% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,500 $12,000
Median Loan Payment $149 $124

Diversity

UChicago Cornell
% Men 54% 47%
% Women 46% 53%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 41%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 11% 10%
% Unknown Race 10% 8%

Students

UChicago Cornell
% In-State 12% 33%
% Out-of-State 69% 55%

Campus

UChicago Cornell
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Cornell University is larger than than UChicago based on total student enrollment (25,898 students vs. 18,339 students)

UChicago vs. Cornell Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UChicago or Cornell?

  • Cornell University is 2.1% more expensive to attend than UChicago for in-state tuition ($62,456.00 vs. $61,179.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.1% higher at Cornell than University of Chicago ($62,456.00 vs. $61,179.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Cornell University than UChicago ($26,060 vs. $36,991)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornell University are 8.3% lower than costs at University of Chicago ($16,988 vs. $18,396)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Chicago than Cornell University (52% vs. 51%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Cornell University students is 12% larger than aid received University of Chicago ($54,219 vs. $48,422)

UChicago vs. Cornell Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UChicago or Cornell? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Cornell or UChicago .

  • The average SAT score at University of Chicago (1506) is 78 points higher than at Cornell (1428)
  • Incoming UChicago students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Cornell (32)
  • Accepted freshman UChicago students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Cornell (3.9)
  • Cornell has a higher acceptance rate (7.5%) than UChicago (5.4%)

UChicago vs. Cornell Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UChicago or Cornell? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Cornell and UChicago.

  • The graduation rate at Cornell is higher than University of Chicago (93% vs. 92%)
  • Graduates from University of Chicago earn on average $100 more per year than Cornell graduates after ten years. ($98,500 vs. $98,400)
  • Cornell University students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UChicago graduates. ($12,000 vs. $14,500)
  • Cornell graduates are paying $25 less per month on federal student loans than UChicago graduates. ($124 vs. $149)
  • More Cornell graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UChicago students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 86%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/